Since 2002, when Shell Oil Co. bought Pennzoil-Quaker State Co. for $1.8 billion in cash and $1.1 billion in debt, Quaker State has been an American brand of motor oil produced by Shell, the US-based business of Shell plc.
The former Quaker State Oil Refining Company was formed in 1924 after the Eastern Refining Co. purchased the rights to the Quaker State brand name from the Phinny Brothers Oil Company, which had been producing Quaker lubricants since 1912 and gained a reputation in the United States after a 1914 deal with automotive manufacturer Franklin. After merging with another 18 oil businesses in 1931, it became the “Quaker State Corporation.”
The moniker Quaker State comes from the Quaker nickname for Pennsylvania, the state founded by William Penn, a Quaker.
Quaker State Engine Oil Types
Mineral, semi-synthetic, and fully synthetic oils are the three basic types of motor oil.
Mineral oil is the least refined type of motor oil, providing the least engine protection, as well as being less productive and cost-effective.
As a result, such oils are substantially less expensive than other forms of oil.
Semi-synthetic oils are a blend of synthetic and mineral oils that outperform mineral oils while costing a fraction of the price of synthetic oils.
Fully synthetic motor oil is the most refined and, as a result, the most expensive form of oil. Synthetic motor oils give a car’s engine the most protection and efficiency.